I have lived in British Columbia all of my life although I was born just across the border in Hythe, Alberta.  My parents lived in Tupper B.C. a small border town close to Dawson Creek B.C.  Because my father and his brothers were in the lumber business we moved around a fair amount depending on where the timber was.

It was always an adventure as a child - discovering the new territory, building forts, trails in the wilderness, building rafts, pretending to be like Tom Sawyer, always with my trusty dog by my side!  When I look back on it  I have only fond memories of the experience of being close to nature.  Little did I know that as an adult these experiences would be the spirit within many of my drawings.  The other discovery I would make in my youth was my interest in artistic endeavours.  Growing up with a father who is both a skilled craftsman and artist allowed me to experience and participate in many artistic activities including painting, drawing and carving.

My family moved to the Okanagan just about the time that I was graduating from high school.  Driven by my quest for independence I decided to go into banking.  At that time the thought of being financially secure as an artist was the furthest thing from my mind.  Although I continued to dabble in my oil painting this was only a hobby which I found only limited time to pursue.
I spent the next 20 years in banking, reaching the lofty position as a branch manager.

In 1988 at the age of 38 after a few years of soul searching I decided  that I had had enough of banking - this was when I began my full-time pursuit as an artist. 

CREATIVE PROCESS

Much of my work depicts wildlife of Western Canada. When I first began drawing full-time, my drawings covered a wide variety from portraits, pets to old cars and buildings. Through this experimentation came a discovery - animals, pets and wildlife were my forte. These creatures are very endearing and there is a certain amount of peace derived from completing these drawings. Often I meet my subjects in zoos and wildlife parks and in my own small way I am able to set them free in my drawings

Photography is another of my interests and is integral to the creative process. I photograph animals in the wild, in parks, and in zoos. From these I am able to obtain the detail I require as well as the authenticity I demand. The surroundings into which I place my animals, is usually much more from my imagination. By the time I have completed a drawing, which can take many weeks, I have grown very close to the creature. My drawing seem to attract others in the same way - they are drawn to the eyes and in fact the life that is portrayed in the drawings.

The method I use in each of my drawings involves using a very hard, light pencil (2H) and progressing through a range. I will use four to five different pencils in each drawing ranging from a 2H through to a 3B, resulting in a series of layers. As well I sometimes will add color pencil or a water color wash, after completing the drawing in pencil.